Defying Eternity
by Asher Knight
Summary: When Alric gets arrest for murders he didn't commit it's up to his daughter and his one friend to solve the mystery but that's not going to be so easy. Damon/oc
1. Family Reunion

**A/N Hi everyone. So this is a new Vampire Diaries fic that I started thinking and finally got down to writing. It centers on Alaric's daughter coming to Mystic Falls after Ric is put in jail for the three serial killings that have happened in town so far. This story is definitely a Damon/oc so no surprise there will be a lot of Damon/Asher interaction. Hope you all love it and review. **

**- Ash**

* * *

><p>Chapter One: Family Reunion<p>

_Ring. Ring. Ring._ The loud, annoying ringing of my ring tone woke me. Next to me on my night table, red numbers off my plain, black box alarm clock told me it was one in the morning. I let out a tired groan before reaching in the direction of my nightstand for the annoying device that woke me up. My hand missed a few times, almost knocking over the lamp I kept there, before I finally got a hold of my cell.

"Hello," I answered groggily. God help the person who was calling me this late – or I guess I should say this early.

"Hello, is this Asher Saltzman," a women on the other end asked. Obviously she realized how late it was because it sounded like she was sorry for calling from the tone of her voice.

"This is she," I said, forcing myself to sit up and somewhat wake up. The deep red silk sheets of my small little bed pooled around my waist, revealing the black long sleeved shirt I was wearing. The nights were freezing in New York during this time in my small but up-scale apartment in the Upper East Side but I preferred it over the heat any day.

"I'm sorry miss but your father, Mr. Alaric Saltzman was taken into police custody today at the Mystic Falls sheriff's office," she said sounding disheartened. Of course she'd probably seen my dad's previous track record with the law. Most likely she was feeling sorry me. With my dad's previous run-ins with the law she probably thought I was in a poor, dysfunctional family. Well I guess there really isn't much a relationship between me and dad to even call it dysfunctional. It's mostly just non-existent.

A million things started running through my head at once, all the things I would have to do now. First thing, I had to get to Mystic Falls and bail out my dad. Mystic Falls I actually had an idea where it was. My dad usually tried to make some attempts at communication with me. "I'll be there as soon as I can," I told the women on the other line, already getting out of bed to pack a bag of clothes. I wasn't really surprised. My dad's job got him into trouble a lot more often than it seemed. This was probably the third time this year I was going to have to bail him out.

"I'm sorry miss but there's no bail. We're calling to suggest the arrangement of a lawyer," the officer said morosely.

"What, why," I asked. My hands came to a stop; still holding the red sweatshirt I was shoving into my bag.

"Alaric Saltzman is being charged for first degree murder," she said seriously.

"What," I exclaimed, nearly dropping my phone.

"Miss I think it would be best if you got here as soon as possible," the officer suggested.

"I'll be right there," I told her, hanging up.

I made sure to grab as much of the clothes as possible along with my passport, purse, laptop and books. There was no telling how long it was going to take to get dad out of this one. At least school wasn't a concern. I was on spring break from NYU. I locked up my apartment and made my way down the elevator to the front lobby of my building. The doorman held the door open for me as I made my way out.

"It's pretty late to be going out Miss Asher," he stated the obvious.

"I'm leaving for awhile," I told him. "Family emergency," I explained.

Lucky there are always cabs out in New York and I didn't have to wait long to hail one down. "JFK," I told the drive. I made a quick call to the airport. All I could hope for was that I wouldn't have to wait long for a flight to Virginia. I guess luck was on my side because there was a flight leaving in an hour. I bought my ticked and rushed through the rest of check in.

Sitting the plane, I realized there was nothing much else I could do until I saw my dad. I hated it, this feeling like I was useless and that I couldn't do anything to help. Despite our relationship I loved I pulled out my Ipod. I closed my eyes and tired to catch up on my sleep. There was no way I was going get any in the next few days or at least until dad was out of jail.

It seemed like hours passed before my plane finally landed. I grabbed my backpack from the top of the luggage compartments above my seat and rushed to be one of the first people out. As soon as I was out of the airport I realized how lucky I was when I spotted a line of taxis waiting. I guess they realized that people coming in this early would need rides instead of making their friends drop them off or pick them up at four in the morning.

The driver didn't look to happy when I told him I wanted to go to Mystic Falls. "It's an hour long drive miss," he told me. Really I didn't have that much of a choice so he started driving. Virginia wasn't really what I expected it to be. It was all just green. I looked out the window and saw field after field pass us by. _Great_, I thought to myself. _Dad had to get stuck in a small town prison. It's out in the middle of nowhere. _

We passed the "Welcome to Mystic Falls" sign and the driver asked where it town I wanted to go. "The sheriffs' office," I answered. The driver didn't even bat an eye at my strange request. Guess he ran into a lot of twenty two year old women who needed lifts to jails.

He pulled up to a large brick building that looked as old as the town. "Here you are ma'am," he said. I pulled out all the cash I had in my bag and paid the fare. I barely closed the door when the cab speed off, leaving the town behind.

It was really quiet inside the sheriff's office but I guess there's never really much going on around four thirty in the morning. There were a few officers in the prison who had a late shift and I guess weren't patrolling walking around, doing their work. One of the few officers on duty pointed me to the sheriff's desk.

"Hi, can I help you," the middle-aged, blue-eyed blonde woman sitting behind the desk asked. She was dressed in a standard police uniform as the others but her's had a sheriff's badge pinned on her chest.

"Yes, Hi," I tried to smile. "I'm here about my father, Alaric Saltzman. I got a call a few hours ago."

"I didn't know Alaric had a daughter," the woman looked at me in a shock. "How old are you," she asked, giving me a good look over. I knew I hair was mess from the plain but I had tied my shoulder-length red hair into a messy bun while I was in the cab ride to town. I had just thrown on whatever I had been wearing that day before I went bed when I had rushed out of my apartment so I was back in my black skinny jeans, my black halter top and my favorite light brown leather jacket and my black boots.

"Yeah, he's my dad and I'm twenty two years old," I told her. I tried to keep my composure. I knew dad never mentioned me. He used to say it was too dangerous in his work. "He and my mom split a little after I was born," I explained. I hoped she would just move one and stop asking questions with that.

"I'm Liz Forbes," the sheriff. I could tell by the change in her tone she felt sorry for me. Poor kid with a broken family and a dad who was in jail for murder. "What's your name," she asked, gesturing for me to sit.

"I'd like to see my father first," I told her. There was no way I was talking to this woman I hardly knew before I talked to dad. I need to what's going first.

"Alright," she said, giving me a slight nod. She got and walked around, folding her arms across her chest. "He's this way."

Sherriff Forbes led me down a narrow hallway with cells on both sides. _Well, at least it doesn't reek like the others ones he's been locked up _in, I couldn't help but think. A couple of the cells were occupied but they were mostly juveniles that were probably caught tagging a building or stealing. There were two cells left until we reached the end of the hallways when she finally stopped and turned to face the small cell on the right. I looked inside and finally saw my dad. He was sitting the on small bed in the cell, his head in his hands. He looked terrible. His clothes were rumbled, his hair was mess, probably from running his hands through it. My dad has this nervous habit of running his hands through his hair whenever he's worried or stressed about something.

"Ric, you've got someone here to see you," Sherriff Forbes announced.

"I told Damon and Elena to go hom…" he stopped talking as soon as he saw me. "Asher?"

"Hi dad," I said, giving him a small wave. The look on his face was priceless.


	2. Living Arrangements

Chapter Two: Living Arrangements

"What are you doing in Mystic Falls," my dad exclaimed.

"You're really asking me that while being locked in a jail cell dad," I asked, raising my eyebrows at him.

"Ash, what are you doing here," my dad asked again.

I humored him and answered, "I got a call that you were…well here."

"Yeah, guess I sort of got into a little mess," my dad chuckled dryly.

"Yeah," I said, rolling my eyes at him. I turned to Sheriff Forbes and asked for a few minutes alone with my dad. Who knew what kind of explanation my dad had for the predicament he was in and I had no idea if the local police even knew about vampires or all the others things that hid their world.

As soon as the sheriff was out of earshot I started. "What the hell happened, dad," I hissed. "You're charged for murder!"

"Calm down Ash," my dad said, holding up his hands to tell me to keep voice down.

"Calm down? Calm down," I asked, failing at keeping control. "How the hell am I supposed to calm down when you're in here for murder? Jeez dad, what did you do? Stake a vampire in public?"

"No, I didn't stake a vampire in public," my dad snapped. "Look I can explain all of this but not now and definitely not here."

"Alright, what do you want me to do," I asked letting out a long sigh. My dad was right. It wasn't the time or the place to go through all of this.

"Just get some sleep," he told me, taking in my face. I think cold tell how tired I was just from my face.

"Okay, so I guess I'll just go to your place then," I asked.

"The police have it locked up. No one's allowed in there while they search for evidence," dad groaned. "Let me think of something."

"Dad, it's fine," I told him. "I can catch a cab to a hotel."

"Mystic Falls doesn't have a hotel," he told me. "You'd have to go two towns over just to find anything descent."

"Alaric you have another visitor," Sherriff Forbes announced, walking in with a tall, dark-haired guy following behind her. "This is the last one I'm letting through tonight." She turned to the man that had followed her in and said," You have ten minutes Damon. Make it quick."

"Thanks Liz, you're an angel," he said with a grin.

"Damon, what are you doing here," my dad asked as soon the sheriff was out of earshot.

"I just came here to check on our resident psycho serial killer," he smirked. There was definitely something up with this guy. He screamed bad news but apparently he was friends with my dad. I noticed him eyeing me out of the corner of his eye. "Who is this," he asked, giving me a not so subtle once over.

"Damon," dad warned, instantly going into his overprotective mode. "Leave her alone."

Damon held up his hands in surrender and said, "Hey, give me some credit Ric. I can behave."

"I highly doubt that Damon," my dad sneered. "This is Asher, my daughter,"

"Your daughter," he asked surprised.

"Yes, my daughter," dad repeated.

"Yours and Isobel's,' he asked. _How does he know my mother,_ I thought.

"Yes Damon, mine and Isobel's," said dad. The vein on his neck that always popped out when he was angry was beginning to show itself.

"So does that make her Elen-…," Damon trailed off.

"Damon, drop it," my dad snapped. "Look Ash needs a place to stay while she's here and my place is locked off while the police search in there for evidence."

"Ah and she needs a place to stay," Damon smirked. "Well my house is always open to beautiful women."

"Damon," my dad frowned, obviously debating if this was the best idea or not.

"Relax Ric, I promise she'll be safe and sound with me and Stefan," Damon assured him.

"Who's Stefan" I asked interrupting them.

"My little brother," Damon answered, smirking. "He's a couple years younger than you. Kid's still in high school."

"Ash, you'll be fine staying with Damon until I get out of here," my dad said, turning to me. "But I want you to promise me you'll be careful while you're here."

"I promise dad," I said, nodding my head.

"Shall we," Daman smirked.

I nodded and turned to my dad. "I'll be back in a few hours," I told him.

I followed Damon out to the parking lot. I felt a shiver run through my body when I noticed how foggy it had gotten outside. Everything looked so dark and eerie. Weren't small southern town suppose to be peaceful and cheery. He led me to a black sports car. I wasn't sure what model it was but I knew it definitely was a classic and was definitely expensive.

Damon didn't seem all that interested in striking up a conversation and honesty neither was there. There was something definitely off about this guy but I couldn't put my finger on it. It wasn't just the way he dress or his cocky attitude. There was something else, something dangerous about him. He opened my door for me and then walked around to the driver's side.

The drive took longer than I expected it too. Mystic Falls was crawling with these large estates, these huge houses and lots of land. Apparently the Salvatore family was pretty high up on the scale compared to the others because Damon pulled up to a huge estate.

"Welcome to the Salvatore Boarding House," Damon smiled.

Damon used his keys and let us in. Inside the manor was even more beautiful. The front door let the way to the living room. It was full of antiques and some of the most beautiful paintings I had even seen. Everything looked so old and fragile. I was afraid I'd break anything if I touched it.

"This way," said Damon as he carried my bag up the staircase.

The staircase led up to a long hallway lined with paintings and doorways leading to the numerous bedrooms the house held.

"So Stefan's room is to your right, my room is the last door on the left and yours is right next to mine," explained Damon.

"Okay thanks," I said, moving past him to get into my assigned room. The first thing I noticed was the glass door that led out to the small balcony in the room. There was a little vanity with a large mirror set up in the corner of the room. It had its own bathroom too and I was pretty sure the bathtub had jets. Damon set my bag down on top of the old antique chest that was set at the foot of the large king-sized bed.

"Goodnight," he said, turning to leave.

"Night," I said, closing the door behind him. There wasn't a lock on a door. That definitely didn't make me feel safer sleeping here tonight but dad trusted Damon enough to send me with him and I guess that had to be good enough for me.

I let out a groan as I turned and tried sleeping on my side for the fifth time. I don't why but sleep wasn't coming to me. I guess it didn't really matter much, according to the clock next to my bed it was already six thirty. The sun was starting to come up.

I was trying to get a little bit more sleep, when it hit me. Suddenly it all made sense. His smirk, the way he walked, the way talked sometimes. It all made sense. Damon was a vampire…and I was sleeping in his home.

I bushed the thick black comforter off me and stepped onto the floor. Walking over to the glass doors, I pulled them open and stepped out onto the balcony. Mystic Falls was beautiful. I could not believe this was the same town I came into last night.

There was a knock on my bedroom door. I opened the door and Damon was standing there showered and dressed. "Good, you're awake," said Damon. "I was going to head down and check on Alaric so if you want to get ready…"

"Yeah, just let me get dressed," I told him, trying not to slam the door in his face. My father was definitely going to explain this one.

"Alright, I'll be downstairs in the study," he said.

My bag was still where Damon had left it, sitting on the old chest at the foot of the bed. I pulled out a red; long sleeve t-shirt and a pair of dark skinny jeans. I felt a chill as I stepped into the shower and quickly turned on the hot water.

When I got downstairs Damon was spread out on one of the long, black leather couches with a amber colored drink in his hand.

"A little early isn't it," I asked, walking in.

"Never too early for a good thing," Damon smirked, raising his glass up in a toast. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, sure," I nodded.

We stepped outside into the bright morning sun. Believe it or not, the Salvatore Estate looked even bigger than it did last night when I first arrived; granted I was half sleep and therefore only half coherent. It did have an odd old-world charm to it and I couldn't help but love the huge house. Damon led me towards the side of the house where, parked a little ways off from the house, was a sleek black convertible.

Driving with Damon was more awkward then when we were driving home last night. It was worse now that I knew what he was. I couldn't shake off the edge I was feeling. I think Damon sensed how tense I was right now sitting next to him.

"So Ric has kid; that I did not know," Damon smirked.

"There's probably a lot you don't know about my dad," I countered. "He's not the sharing type and you don't seem like the type people would share with." The smirk on Damon's face grew a little bigger as he turned his attention back to the road.

When we got to the station Sherriff Forbes led us to her office. "There was mistake," she said, sitting down at her desk. "The time of the death from the autopsy was wrong. Dr. Fell just dropped off the correction documents with a huge apology. She felt terrible for putting an innocent man through what Alaric went through.

"So my dad's free to go," I asked hopefully.

"Yes, the correct time of death fits in with his alibi and therefore clears his name. I was just about to call you to pick him up," Sherriff Forbes smiled.

"Thanks Liz," said Damon.

"It's my job Damon," she told him. "You don't have to thank me."

"Can we get my dad now," I asked.

"Sure, I just have to get the paper the paper and he's free," the sheriff answered.

Within an hour the sheriff had my dad released with an apology from Dr. Fell."Where to," Damon asked when we were all seated in his car.

"Back to your place," I immediately answered. "I need to get me things."

"Ash, I think it would be better if you stuck with Damon and Stefan for the next few days. My place might not be the best living arrangements for you," my dad said gently.

"I wasn't going to move them over to your place dad," I told him. "You're free and from the looks of it pretty much okay. I'm going home."

"You're leaving," my dad asked. I could tell from his voice and the way his face fell he was definitely sad about that and a little disappointed.

"Well yeah, I wasn't planning on staying long," I tried to say without sounding rude.

"I know…but just one day? Not even a whole day, just a couple of hours," he said solemnly.

"You know I would have thought you'd want to stay and see how this whole thing played out," Damon interrupted. "There's still a killer on the loose and your dear old dad was the last victim."

"What," I practically shouted as Damon pulled out of the lot.

"Damon," he dad sighed. "Just drive back to the boarding house. We've got a lot to fill Ash on."

"Yeah, you do you can start with why you sent me home with a vampire," I exclaimed. There was way too much I had been holding it that I had to let out now.

I watched as my father's jaw dropped and Damon stiffen at the mention of "vampire". He was holding the steering wheel so tight I thought it was about to break. "Yeah, we've definitely got a lot to fill her in on," Damon said dryly.


	3. Roommates

Chapter Three: Roommates

"You've lost your mind," I said, staring blankly at my father.

"Come on Ash. Damon really isn't that bad," my dad said, trying to convince me to stay a while longer.

"Dad," I groaned. "He's a nightmare!"

"Well thanks sweetheart," Damon smirked from the kitchen where he was making himself his third drink.

"And he's an alcoholic," I exclaimed.

"Ash, please do this for me. I don't know what's going on with my head but I need you here," he pleaded.

"Fine," I caved. "But he," I said pointing to Damon, "stays at least ten feet away from me at all times,"

"He'll behave," my dad agreed. Behind us Damon let out a chucked and continued to nurse his drink.

"So are you staying here too," I asked my dad. He had to be close if someone was going to keep an eye on him at all times.

"Yup, your dad's on lock down," Damon said, walking over to sit next to me on the large leather couch.

"I'm really looking forward to that," my dad sighed.

"Relax Ric, you'll get time off for good behavior," Damon laughed.

"Really," I snapped at him. "Do you have any tact?"

"None what so ever," he chuckled. "Now, how about you and I go take a walk through your dad's place and see if we had find anything the killer left."

"Lead the way vampire," I said.

"You really got to let that go," Damon said seriously, opening the front door for us. "It's not like I can change anything about that."

"Wouldn't like you anymore if you could," I told him. "So how are we going to catch the bad bad killer?"

I could have burst out laughing after seeing my father's jaw drop and Damon's eyes flare in anger. Living him with for a while might be fun if I get to mess with his head on a regular basis.

"Like hell," Damon exclaimed. "You're not getting involved in this. Just leave it to the big boys and well have your dad's name cleared in a few days."

"Ash, I'm not going to but you in danger. You have to stay out of this," dad pleaded.

"So you want me to stay in Mystic Falls but you don't want me to get involved in anything," Asher stated. "Please tell me someone else sees the madness in that plan," she exclaimed.

"Babe's got a point Rick," Damon admitted.

"Don't call my daughter _babe_," Ric snapped.

"Plus there's also the deal with the rabid hybrids running around town," he added.

"Damon will look after you," Alaric decided.

"Trusting your only kid to a vampire – great parenting 101," I said, rollling my eyes.

"So this is your place," I asked, setting into her father's small apartment.

"Yeah, this is home," said dad.

I walked around; taking in the place my father had called home for more than a year. I closed in on the bedroom and gently pushed the door.

A blood curling scream left my lips when I stepped in.

"Ash," dad called out, rushing over. .

"Oh great," Damon scoffed, taking one look into the room.


	4. Psycho

**A/N Hi everyone. I know it's been awhile but thanks to all of you for sticking with me for so long. There's only 7 more days until the Vampire Diaries new season premieres so be on the lookout for a special chapter update during the show next week. **

**xoxo**

**Asher Knight. **

Chapter 4: Psycho

I don't know how long I stood there in the doorway, screaming my head off. I was aware of my dad and Damon rushing past me, trying to figure out what the danger was.

My headed clouded and all of these images kept running through my mind.

_There was me in a dress that was so decorative and flowing I looked like royalty. Then I was dancing with a man to the waltz. I don't even know how to waltz! I couldn't see his face but I knew him. Somehow I knew him and he was important to me. Next, I was in a forest and I'm covered in blood. I was waiting for him but he never showed up. He left me all alone and something attacked me. I was dying; blooding spilling from my neck and my breathing getting more labored. He never came. And all I wanted to was to see him one last time. Someone more important to me than my own life. My angel. _

They were like memories but they couldn't be. They looked like a completely different time and I was a completely different person. I don't know what was happening to me. I was losing my mind. Going insane! Maybe I was crazy like my father. _What if it's genetic! _

"Get her out of here," my dad ordered Damon, pushing me out of the room.

I heard Damon say something to my dad but I didn't know what it was. All I could do was stand there and stare at the poor, disfigured body of the women lying on the bed.

Her clothes barely covered anything; they were torn to rags. Her throat was shredded. There wasn't any better way to describe how viciously she had been sliced open. There were markings all over her arms and legs; running from shoulder to wrist and from her hips to her ankles where someone had taken a blade and carved out some sort of symbols.

I got out one last ear-splitting scream before Damon forcefully yanked on my arm and pulled me up into his arms; carrying me out before I could argue with him. Out of the apartment and into the fresh air outside, my head finally cleared. It must have been the smell of all the blood that had gotten to me in the apartment. In a flash of vampire speed we were standing in front of the hood of his car but Damon still cradled me to his chest like a child.

"Shhhh, it's alright," he whispered in my ear. "You're safe with me." He kept on repeating those words to me – using them like a mantra. I guess he was hoping if he said them enough I could believe him…but I couldn't. Not after what I'd seen.

The wind had picked up and I could feel it like shards of glass; the cuts stinging my face. It howled in my ears, causing them to start ringing. I had never felt so cold. Even Damon's constant hands running up and down my arms didn't give me any warmth. I could smell his cologne; it was earthly and sharp; like running through the woods. Biting at my nose. He did say anything. He didn't even laugh at me. With all the dead he's probably seen I would have thought he'd call me out how scared I was. For some reason he didn't and for that I was glad. I had never seen a corpse before and seeing one so mutilated and destroyed. A shudder ran through me and Damon tightened his arms around me like he was trying to fight the memories away.

And then my head cleared and logic took over. Being in the arms of Damon Salvatore, no matter how good it felt, wasn't the safest place to be. I pulled back but he didn't let me go. Instead, he turned and gently placed me sitting on the hood of his car. He shrugged off the black and no doubt expensive leather jacket he had on and forced my arms through the holes, making me wear it.

"Thanks," my voice broke and I hated myself for sounding so young, so weak, and so human. Damon just gave me a quick nod and pulled out his phone. He sent off a quick text and waited for the reply.

I couldn't help myself from jumping when his phone went off. Damon gave me a look, I think to say he was sorry about scaring me, and read the text.

"My brother's inside helping your dad," Damon told me, avoiding any mention of the body I had stumbled on. "I'm taking you home."

I got into his car without arguing, not even noticing the fact that he had opened the door for me and strapped me in with my seatbelt. Within minutes we were back at the boarding house.

"Why don't you unpack you stuff and relax," Damon suggested as we walked in. "I'll give you the tour later."

"Where are you going," I asked.

I don't know I expected him to answer. It wasn't like he owed her an explanation. They weren't dating. So didn't surprise her when all he said was "None of your business," and walked out without even glancing back at her.

I hated being in the old boarding house by myself. I paced back and forth in my room; waiting for my dad or Damon to come home. I heard the door open and someone walking around the house downstairs.

I walked downstairs and found Stefan in the kitchen with a drink in his hand. "Hey," I said, taking a seat on one of the stools.

"Hi," Stephan replied, staring off in thought.

"Something wrong," I asked. He was lying. I just knew it but there was no way Stefan was going to open to me about anything.

"Nothing you have to worry about," he said with a grimace. "You've got enough on your plate with your dad. Where's Damon?"

"I don't know," I told him. "He went out without saying this morning and dad was busy with something."

He just nodded and headed up the stairs; no doubt to his room. I couldn't take being locked up in the house any more. So I grabbed my purse and jacket and headed outside. I was just closing the door behind me when a dark-haired girl wearing a short denim skirt and a loose blue blouse bounded up the steps to the house.

"Who are you," she asked, sizing me up with her gaze.

"Excuse me," I said, incredibly ticked off. I didn't know who this girl was or what she had to do with Damon or Stefan.

"Where are Stefan and Damon," she demanded, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why don't you knock on their door and find out," I told her, moving past her.

"I'm Elena Gilbert," she called out like it was supposed to mean something. I just kept walking on.

I decided to head over to the Mystic Grill. Maybe I would get lucky and the bartender would be cute or at least I could always get drunk.

The Grill was small, hole-in-the-ground place with an open bar at the end of the open room and pool tables off to the side. I made a beeline for the bar and claimed a stool at the empty sitting area. Guess people in Mystic Falls weren't really big drinkers.

"What can I get you," a blonde busboy asked. He was wearing a black shirt and jeans with a white apron tied around his waist.

"Bourbon on the rocks," I answered.

"Can I see some I.D.," he asked. I pulled out my purse and flashed him my driver's license. "I'm Matt," the boy said, pouring me my drink.

"Hi," I said, wishing he would work in silence. Why is it that all bartenders feel the need to play 20 questions until your pour out your life story? I definitely wasn't the sharing type. I guess he got the hint because as soon as he finished making my drink he placed it on a white napkin with the words _Mystic Grill_ printed across it and left to go bust the empty tables.

I lifted the glass up to my lips and took my first sip when a voice from behind me asked, "Isn't it a little too early in the day for that?"

"Never too early for a good thing," I said, throwing his own words back at him.

"You know you dad's going to be alright. There's no need to go through an alcohol-induced downward spiral," Damon smirked, taking the stool next to me.

"Did someone invite to you sit," I asked bitterly. "And how would you know? Maybe I just like to drink."

"You don't seem like the type," he said with a wink. "But at least you've got good taste although me stash is definitely a better quality."

He reached over and grabbed my glass, downing the drink in one large gulp. I would have been mad – I should have been mad but I was too distracted by his throat; moving as he swallowed.

"That was mine," I said seriously, finally snapping back into reality.

"Relax," he laughed, rolling his eyes at me. He signaled to a waiter, a different man this time and had two new drinks placed in front of us within seconds.

"I have a tab," he explained.

"And do you actually pay it or do you complain whatever poor sap working the night that you already did," I asked suspiciously. His silence gave me my answer. "Why am I not surprised." I pulled out a few bills from my purse and left enough to cover all three drinks before getting up to head out.

Before I could leave his hand grabbed my arm; his grip iron tight. "No, this one's on me," Damon argued. He pulled out his money, left enough for the drinks and a very large tip, a stuffed my money back into the back pocket of my tight jeans.

This was probably the most uncomfortable moment of my life. I pulled my arm out of his grasp and high tailed it to the front door. I was able to get out to the parking lot before I heard, "Asher!" I don't know what it was but something in his voice made me stop. It was strong than any compulsion; stronger than any desire but my own.

_I won't turn around. I won't turn around._ That was the mantra I kept reciting to myself as I felt him approach me.

Painfully slow, he walked around until he faced me. I saw his hand come up to touch my cheek but I couldn't pulled away. I could barely breathe.

"Why do you look so familiar," he whispered, staring at me. He ran his thumb along my cheek and then his hand slipped to the back of my neck. My last thoughts before I felt his lips touch mine were…_he feels it too!_


	5. Damon

_Hi everyone! For fun I thought I'd write this chapter in Damon's_

_point of view. Hope you all enjoy it. And remember_

_please review. _

_- Ash_

_Chapter 5: Damon_

She was shaking; shivering from the cold. I pulled her closer and tucked her into my worn, black leather jacket.

"Asher," I said, enjoying the feel of her name on my lips. I could tell she was afraid as much as she wanted to hide. She was trying to be strong for her father – for herself. "Shhh, it's alright."

"Here," I said, opening her door. "Let's get out of here."

I drove her car back to the boarding house. It was so quiet without her constant chatter. I had no clue what to say to get her to smile again. I wasn't good at this. It was a long time ago when I actually knew how to court a woman or comfort her. When he pulled up to the house Damon quickly got out and opened Asher's door, getting her out of her seatbelt. She didn't say a word as they walked into the house. At she wasn't crying. That was a start.

I let her go upstairs to her room without saying anything; hoping a few moments alone would calm her down and bring the fire back into her eyes when she yelled at me.

"Asher," I called out when I knocked on her door an hour later. There was no response and then again nothing when I tried a second time. The door was unlocked so I stepped in. The water was running in shower and I knew that Asher must have been in there so I stretched out on her bed, waiting for her to come out. What I didn't expect, however; was for her to step out with only a soft red towel wrapped around her.

"Uhhh, hi," I muttered, clearing my throat to fight off the awkwardness of the situation; which was weird because it wasn't as if I had never seen a woman in a towel before, if fact, I'd seen them in far less. I could tell Asher felt the same because I had the pleasure of seeing a rosy blush spread to her cheeks.

"Do you mind," she asked, pointing to the clothes she had laid out which I was currently sitting on.

"Sorry," I smirked, passing her the clothing. "We need to talk, you know we do," I told her knowingly.

"Yeah, well we'll cross that bridge when we have to," she quipped back.

"You're going to ride this out as long as you can, aren't you," I said perceptively, shaking my head at the thought.

"Maybe," she answered vaguely.

I couldn't help but watch as she turned around, giving me a perfect view of her walking away, as she headed back into the bathroom to change.

When she came back out, Asher was wearing a tight, dark green t-shirt, jeans and a brown leather jacket. Her hair was pulled back into a short, thin side-braid. All in all she looked good.

"Meeting someone," I asked, not moving from his place on her bed. I tried to hide the jealously in my voice. There was no telling what I'd do if she actually was meeting up with some guy. I'd probably end up killing him.

"No, not that it's any of your business," she told me.

"My house, my rules, so it my business," I told her. "You dad put me on babysitting duty until he gets out of the slammer."

"Well I don't need a babysitter, Damon," Snapped Asher.

Asher actually made it down the stairs to the foyer before I caught up; standing in front of her with a deep frown on my face. "I never said you needed one, sweetheart. Just that Ric asked me to do it," half of me tried to explain calmly. The other half wanted to lock her up and tie her down somewhere I knew she would be safe.

"I'm going to drop off some stuff for dad," she said after taking a deep breath. It seemed like we both brought out the worst in each other's anger.

"Let me go with you," I asked. "I have something for him too.

"Like what," asked Asher suspiciously?

I insisted on despite Asher's ire. We drove in silence until Asher felt far too uncomfortable in a car with me and asked, "So what's it like?"

"What? Being a vampire? It's awesome," I laughed.

"No, dying," she explained. That's how you become a vampire right? You die with vampire blood in your body."

"Yeah, that's pretty much how it goes," I muttered. "Why do you want to know? Don't must humans want to – I don't know – live?"

"Forget it. Forget I asked," she said, shaking her head.

"No seriously, why do you ask," part of me didn't want her to answer but I had to know if she was thinking on being a vampire or if she was afraid she was going to get killed handing out with me.

"I was thinking about dad who led me to think about mom," she answered. I could tell there was something else. She was holding back.

"Ric's not going to die sweetheart," I scoffed, trying to act like I wasn't as worried as her. "He's too stubborn to actually leave me alone."

"That's not what I'm talking about Damon. I know you turned my mother. Dad told me," she explained.

"She asked me to…of her own free will Ash," I said, defending myself.

"I know. It was her choice and I get that," she told me.


End file.
